More progress for Ace today. He has been reduced to half a sachet of bute twice a day, which is a pretty miniscule amount for a 588 kilo horse (that's what he weighed on Wednesday :-). He is bending the leg well and walking on it well, and resting the other one, which is always a good sign. He had another tourniquet put on today to force the antibiotics into the right area, but the pus has stopped and things are looking really good. He is still on 2 intravenous antibiotics into his neck, as well. We will probably xray him Monday to make sure that there is no damage that needs more rest to heal, or chips that need to come out, and then I hope he can come home.
My update from Radar yesterday is that I schooled him in a snaffle. The circles weren't circles, the straights weren't straight, and everything was all over the place :-) We stayed in walk until he consented to relax to the bit and stop trying to drop his back away from me, which took half and hour, so we didn't even start any trot or canter work. He did do some smashing walk by the time he realised that he was staying in walk until he did, though. He can do it when it suits him, he'd just prefer to have some jumps in the way!
I'll be trying a different bit next time. That was a thin myler-type mouthpiece and he certainly didn't seem too taken with it. Hopefully, though, it won't come to it that we need Radar to turn into radaR and go dressaging. If Ace's leg was just bruised and infected he should be back in work soon. I have been watching the Grand Prix at Somerford Park this morning, which is also where the Vet hospital is. Ace would certainly hold his own in that company if he is trained properly. I hope we can get back on with that soon.
C.
What great news about Ace! So glad you got him to a good place to care for him in time. Sounds as if he will be home soon.
ReplyDeleteAs for radaR...well, what can be said? You are definitely up to the challenge of trying to get him "dressagy" enough for the event arena. We know he will do fine on cross country. What about the stadium? Can you steer well enough into the fences?
If you think of dressage as a means to that end--taking a bendy, technical set of jumps--perhaps you could convince radaR that being Radar might have some advantages??? Kind of reverse psychology there.
Any place where you could school a few tricky courses so he can figure out that listening to you and responding to your aids might be a benefit to getting to a jump?
Great news, on both counts. Lets keep this sun shining eh? Radar WILL learn passage....in his own sweet way.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the positives.
It's so lucky I have a hospital only 40 minutes away, isn't it Jean? And to find there was Premier League Dressage there to watch today was really fab. It meant I could see Ace twice and go and watch the dressage all morning. Carl Hester rides like a dream, so does Isabel Wessels.
ReplyDeleteI can ride the showjumping in a pelham Jean, it's only the dressage that has a bit rule. We are planning to teach Radar to showjump this year. Up til now I have not, because I did not want him to know that any fence would fall if he hit it. He's much better at timber now and he should be fun to showjump.
Tracey if I'd been drinking tea I'd have spat it all over the keyboard. You will scare Radar if you tell him things like that!
C.
Go Radar.. and Ace's progress is very heartening..
ReplyDeletePoor Radar :-) Felix says there is more to life than going round a school and don't worry, Radar, the start of the hunting season is only 9 weeks away ;-)
ReplyDeleteShhhhhh Nic! I cannot drive Radar all the way to Exmoor, don't let him know that your season starts a month before ours does!!!!
ReplyDeleteI had more good news yesterday I forgot too, NH, the joint tap analysis came back clear, so definitely no joint fluid infection.
C